Shadowing Another
by Inner Self
Summary: HPxNaruto cross/….And all I remembered were those red, demon eyes. I have not the faintest idea to whom they belonged, or even the face of this mysterious person. I remember falling, and waking as if it were all a dream. SCRAPPED idea. read WOTW instead.
1. Prequel

Genuine Kagebunshins

By Inner Self

This chapter wasn't here before but I figured more story was needed. Its like a....

PREQUEL

Haruno Sakura was well on her way to becoming a legendary medic. She was receiving the proper training. She was already at the point where she could act as a mentor to others who showed promise in the field. A year after beginning her training, Haruno Sakura introduced her best friend, Yamanaka Ino, to the art of healing.

By the time they were almost fifteen, the war on Akatsuki was proclaimed by the Godaime Hokage, Sakura's mistress, Tsunade. The two, medic and aspiring medic, trained vigorously during the down-time they received. By the time that Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were sixteen, both held an advanced knowledge of healing for their respective levels. In fact, Sakura was fully certified and tailing behind Shizune in talent.

The war raged on and ninja they knew, including Sakura herself, had come close to death at the hands of the Akatsuki. Akasuna no Sasori, Hidan, and Kakuzu had been eliminated. Chaos was enveloping the land, but the two still kept up their practice. Weeks after an encounter with the Immortals, Ino had taken the certification exam and passed by a considerable margin.

Although Sakura denied it, Ino saw her tutelage under Sakura as the reason for her success. She was truly greatful to her friend. "Hounto ni, Forehead-chan," her nickname still stuck even when being praised by Ino, "I have not been more greatful to anyone except my parents! I also feel like I can trust you…"

Sakura scoffed at this, "Ino, we're friends. I trust you, too."

"This is different. I feel like I owe you a lot!" Ino placed her hands on Sakura's shoulders. "You're trust within my family is also secured. So now I'd like to bestow you, my friend and mentor, with a family secret. When you go on missions, you'll be able to take a part of me with you."

Sakura looked at her friend with curiosity rimming her eyes. "You've discovered a new technique?"

Ino's delicate brow furrowed. "Huh? Oh, no, I was speaking metaphorically. So do you want to learn the Shintenshin no Jutsu or not?" Sakura threw herself at Ino in a bear hug. Once Ino restored some lung capacity, the two had headed towards clan's concentrated sector of Konoha, otherwise dubbed Little Yamanaka.

Sakura was taught by Ino under the supervision of her father, Inoichi. Sakura had the transfer technique pretty much under her control after two weeks of practice. "Now Sakura, be sure to use it only outside of combat," Ino made sure to add her piece of advice, "BUT whenever you activate the technique, you MUST go through with it. Otherwise, there are sure to be dire consequences." Ino had added a stern look to her words for an added affect.

"I'll keep that in mind, Ino. Arigatou," Sakura had said. The next day, Sakura was sent to Naruto's house. Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Kakashi had decided that the time was right for starting another search for Sasuke. It was agreed that in order to find Sasuke, it would be faster to capture his brother. His brother had been spotted within the last 24 hours near the valley of the end by a genin team that was no match for him and forced to retreat.

Team 8 was assembled, consisting of all members but Kurenai. Team 8 and Sakura's team, along with the extra members, Sai and Yamato, met an hour later at the main gate. It had started raining minutes after they took off towards their homes to pack. Everyone made sure to wear matching parkas.

Their search for the Uchiha slayer ended abruptly when a variable impeded their search: the Akatsuki known as Tobi. Sakura eyed Tobi warily. His personality was unusually bright. Naruto had rushed in dangerously as the others provided backup. Sakura stood in the background. Someone had to be level-headed about the change in scenario. So as Naruto swung at "Tobi" with futility, Sakura analyzed the suspect. He was short for a man and he wore a mask that left one eye, the left one, concealed. His body was neither physical nor doppelganger. He had a mock simplemindedness, Sakura concluded. He was playing with them; all of them. He was not the idiot he wanted them to believe, yet, he was going to go against their two platoons. She had to do something fast, but rushing in like her chuunin peers was out of the question.

Sakura nearly gasped when she saw his demeanor change to a quiet malice. Kakashi and Yamato sensed it, too. The leaders quickly drew up defenses that reached everyone but Naruto, who was too close to "Tobi", and Sakura, who was too far away, which was ironically the wrong place to be in this combat scenario. Sakura decided she would bear the brunt of an attack as long as she could help Naruto.

Sakura was preparing the seals Ino had taught her as the leaders had just fortified their barriers. A swirling black aura burst from where Tobi had once been fighting, burning Naruto before he was thrown into the forest. Kakashi looked behind him to where he thought Sakura was and cursed.

Sakura's legs were planted into the ground and she was not thrown when the scortching fire licked at her face. The kinetic energy was stronger than the blaze that came along with it though. She had just recovered her balance when a hand reached out and gripped her neck. She couldn't breath.

"You, my dear, are the weakest link," Tobi whispered in a new voice, hard, dark, and taunting. "Why bring along a medic? They get in the way and merely prolong death."

Her eyes were painfully held shut. Her fear would have crushed her if it had not been for his words and Ino's as well. 'Finish what you've started, Sakura. Finish and eliminate him as a threat.' Sakura realized at this point that Shintenshin had another use, and if he was going to bring her death, she was taking him with her. Her seals were already done. All she had to do was release her combined soul and chakra energies.

Sakura could feel his breath in her face and his sadistic amusement. She detached herself as much as she could from the pain and lack of air and opened her eyes to face her enemy as she put forth her plan to end him. That was her mistake. His eye was bleeding and his mask was off. She could feel the intense heat once again. His eye began to swirl into the form of a pinwheel.

She felt her worst nightmare come alive around her before she truly detached from her surroundings. She saw her body floating in the abyss. She was still trapped, but the memory had stopped.

"Well, no matter. There's more than one way to deal with you." He activated his doujutsu again. She saw her body falling through the abyss and dove after it. She had caught it by the hand and entered, traveling up to the head. As she got to the neck, her mind began to feel a horrible pulling sensation. Sakura had to endure the worst migraine of her life as she journeyed upward to synchronize with her body.

He was going through her memories. It was hurting more and more with each passing second in the void. She remembered getting knocked out on a bench by a certain Uchiha, an unrequited love. "Ah, it seems I can use this to my advantage," he mused. Sakura started to open her eyes. She wasn't able to focus on anything. She could feel the immense pressure of his hands restored to her neck. A blinding flash of light encompassed the area around her in the once-void. The world returned to her as he let go of her. The blinding light returned but was soon replaced by the void.

Her body plummeted at what felt like a hundred kilometers per hour. Out of nowhere (literally) a mass crashed into her and the pain in her head exploded once again. She could not think, merely feel, as she would for hours to come.

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The "abyss" is the transitional plane between the worlds. She had almost gone through until he read her mind (literally), decided to spice up her adventure, and threw her in again.

I'm going to fix the rest, too. This does not coordinate well with the confusing mesh of ideas that WERE the story. Thanks to the reviewers, I've been convinced that more information was needed. I'm also changing the POV from 1st person to 3rd person omniscient and limited (is that allowed?) Basically its Muggleland focused w/ an insert that uses 3rd person omniscient (that needs to be written) for the next chapter. So ch2 is probably going to be non-existent anyways. Yes. Yes it is. Or applied to a different setting.


	2. Coming To

Shadowing Another by Inner Self

Chapter 2

"Coming To"

Hermione smacked against the ground. Everything hurt. The blaring pain was especially designated to her head and neck. Thankfully, she was not paralyzed anywhere. Unfortunately, that meant she could feel everything that had happened to her. Her stomach gave up on her and expelled its contents, which was a lot more than she could remember eating before the mission. The rain was coming down again and her hair was matted to her forehead, neck, and left cheek. She was lying on her side. She was sure now that her forearm and at least two ribs were broken.

Numbness began to set in but she still felt fragile and dizzy. She could not recall what had happened. It was cold and wet, and a puddle was starting to form where she lay. The side in contact with the ground became smothered with mud and her long curly hair became drenched in it. The sound of chaos abruptly died down, and someone approached her. Muddy water with a hint of vomit was trying to flow back into her mouth when strong arms, supporting her by her waist, brought her up against a body.

She let out a screech-like yelp. Hermione began thrashing everything that was cooperating from the neck down. Others tried to still her. "Sakura…? Sakura, this is Kakashi. I'm trying to help you." He said. She knew it was Kakashi. She took deep breaths, as deep as possible with her broken ribs prodding harshly into her lungs. After a while her hysteria did leave and she was too exhausted to move. "Hinata, set her bones and then we'll send her back with one of Naruto's frogs to Konoha." She saw a dark haired girl reaching for her bad arm before passing out.

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Mrs. Granger screamed like a banshee. Mr. Granger was upstairs and in Hermione's room in a matter of moments. He saw what is wife saw as he used all his strength to keep his wife and him on their feet. There on Hermione's bed was a girl with pink hair and burnt clothing and skin. Mr. Granger set his wife back on Hermione's dresser, a makeshift chair, and went to the pink-haired girl.

Upon closer inspection he saw livid blue-violet bruises on her neck in the shape of a hand. The girl gave a tearfilled moan as she tried to move. She hissed when her burns made contact with the bed top comforter. Mr. Granger did not know if it was best to touch her or wake her. It was best left to professionals. He walked back over to his wife, who had regained her composure. In fact, his wife was in Mother Hen mode. "I'm going to call for an ambulance. Write some letters to her friends in case magic is involved."

Mrs. Granger left with the pink-haired girl, who she hoped was actually her daughter, and left Mr. Granger doing just so. He hoped one of Hermione's friends could explain the situation. He did not know what to think. He did not know if he wanted the pink-haired girl to be his daughter. The girl had been in so much pain. Then again, she was alive. He did not want to think his daughter was abducted either.

He sent Ester off with the letters and hopped in his '91 Voltswagon. When he got to the hospital and found his wife, they both agreed not to file a missing persons report; the girl must have been Hermione. For once in their life, they wished Hermione was not a witch. They could not make heads or tails of the situation. Hopefully, this was another potions experiment mishap or something. If that was the case, Hermione was going to be grounded for life!

Hermione was in the intensive care wing. She was hooked up to a heart rate monitor, which showed her vitals were stable, and looked as if she had not moved an inch. "We have sedated her," the doctor replied to Mr. Granger's unasked question. Well, she was at peace for the moment. He sat down by Mrs. Granger, who borrowed his shoulder and promptly took a catnap.

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Arthur Weasley was at the Ministry when his alarm watch went off. It gave a low hum. He pulled up his sleeve. The watch was like the clock Molly had charmed at the Burrow. His was pointing to 'needed with the family'. His watch used to say 'at home' but he fixed it during Ron's fifth year when the family stayed at Grimmauld Place. Naturally, they were at the old Blacks' residence and something urgent was happening. He flooed the head of his department. "I'm feeling a bit under the weather, Sam," he said to his boss. Arthur and Sam had always been on good terms. Sam had no qualms with Arthur taking off for the rest of the day.

Arthur apparated to no. 12 Grimmauld Place and entered the disillusioned house discreetly. He was met with a pandemonium of redheaded children berating their mother before getting yelled at by said mother for their rudeness. "Quiet all of you! We'll get down to the bottom of this as soon as your father gets home---oh Arthur!"

The attentions his children were giving their mother quickly turned to him. Ron thrust a letter into his hand. "It's from 'Mione's father. He said something horrible happened to her. She's in a muggle hospital!"

"Ah, I…see…well, I assume everyone's ready to go, yes? Wait, does Harry know?" They all shook their heads. Tonks came out of the kitchen. She had been busying herself in there, to Molly's chagrin, while Remus and Sirius talked quietly amongst themselves. "Remus, Sirius, and I can go get him." The other two mentioned nodded.

"Alright. So we're going to floo straight to All's Hope Hospital; luckily its head doctor is a well-known squib. He approached the Grangers about the incident and found out that Hermione was a witch. He's left the floo network open in his office."

They left and Tonks reopened the network to Harry's house. One-by-one they infiltrated the Dursley house rather unstealthily. Mrs. Dursley was screeching at the top of her lungs within seconds. Sirius, fortunately, had cast a silencing charm on the house so as not to disturb the muggle neighbors.

"OUT! YOU HOUDLUMS GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" Mr. Dursley was raging, his face turning as purple as the pink-haired girl's neck. Sirius boredly flicked his wand and the couch scooted over to Mr. Dursley. He fell at the knees and plopped onto the couch.

"Do calm yourself," Sirius sneered. Mr. Dursley was stricken with fear. A sticking charm had been placed on the couch and he could not move. His wife came to stand next to him, gripping the couch for dear life, and their son was heard upstairs slamming his door shut and locking it.

"Sirius?" Harry called from the stairs. He came down and flashed his letter. "I was hoping someone would come. I need to see her! She's at All's Hope Hospital. My aunt and uncle know where that is. If only they could take us…" He trailed off, looking to his friends for help.

"WE WOULD DO NO SUCH THING! That witch girl got what she deserved!" Mr. Dursley bellowed. A short time later, he was getting into his company car with the four 'weirdos' including his nephew. The weirdoes could only hope there was enough room for them all, not that the number of seats was a factor.

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The Weasleys had just arrived. 'Hermione' had already been relocated to a temporary stay, which was soon to be very temporary. The squib doctor had taken Mr. Granger aside previously to speak about the housing arrangements. "Either you seek out a trustworthy healer or allow her to go to St. Mongoes. I'd actually advise you to do the former, however."

"Why not take her to St. Mongoes? That's where Mr. Weasley was taken when he was attacked, was it not?"

"Yes, but she is a famous underaged muggleborn wizard. If her unexplainable condition became known to the Wizarding World, she'd be accused of underaged magic. Possibly, the pureblood members of the Wizengamot(sp?) would push for a count on underaged practice of the dark arts, given her condition."

"What is her condition?" Mr. Granger tried to get rid of the lump in his throat. The nurses had given Hermione another sedative not long ago.

The doctor pushed his glasses up to the middle of his nose. "Her burns will scar if she does not get some potions soon. You can get one of her friends that are coming to get some from an apothecary. The mental damage still needs to be addressed though. That's an enigma. I doubt even a wizard could identify the problem right away…I'm sorry this must feel quite stressful for you and your wife, being muggles and all."

Mr. Granger applied pressure to the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Yes. Let's go over the game plan when the Weasleys get here."

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The squib doctor was alerted by a squib nurse of visitors passing through his floo network. He escorted Mr. Granger to his office, leaving Mrs. Granger with Hermione. They got down to business, the children impatiently wanting to go visit their friend but also wanting to know what would happen to her in the near future.

"So…that's what Mr. Granger and I had discussed so far. I wonder if Headmaster Dumbledore would be inclined to send help via Madame Pomfrey if he was owled. This is a delicate situation after all."

"You mean the Ministry?" Mr. Weasley inquired. "Couldn't we just say she was attacked by Deatheaters? They're more inclined to believe a story like that now that You-Know-Who has made his attack on the Ministry."

"I'm sure you don't want a scandal either. Miss Granger, if attacked, would have been at home with her parents at home and none the wiser. It might be taken as domestic violence instead."

Mrs. Granger gasped, "You know we'd never…besides, her face…!"

"What about 'Mione's face?" Ron asked worriedly.

"That is another enigma," the doctor pondered. "Simply put, it's not her face. Her condition is going to cause an uproar unless we find a cure. We need handful of experts working around the clock. The Hogwarts staff is very reliable and would be up to the job."

"A cure for her face…?" Mr. Granger rubbed his chin, and a light bulb seemed to go off in his head. "Of course, she's a teenager. She's in the 'rebelious' phase. We can say she chopped off all her beautiful locks and dyed her hair. As for her eyes, there's a potion for everything right? She could have used one of those, too, if her eyes aren't brown."

"You said 'another enigma'. What was the first?" Mrs. Granger inquired.

"She won't wake up. A witch on our staff has tried to ennerverate her twice, each when the sedative was starting to lose effect. We've decided its best to wait a few days and see if she wakes up on her own. Until then, she's stuck in her subconscious. We can only hope she isn't having nightmares. She should be administered some dreamless sleep just in case. That can replace the muggle sedatives."

Mr. Weasley asked, "Can the children visit her now? I need to go find the others downstairs."

"She's knocked out, but they could get over the shock of seeing her…face."

Mr. Weasley saw Harry, Sirius, Remus, and Tonks in the waiting room filling out forms so that someone would escort them up. They were rushing and putting down false information no doubt. Mr. Weasley signaled them and they sneaked passed the receptionists by pretending to go to the bathroom.

Everyone besides Ron and Ginny were waiting outside Hermione's temporary room. They were listening to the story for the second time. The two visitors then came out. Harry went in with Mr. Weasley. Mr. Weasley just wanted to make sure she was okay and put his mind at ease. Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and he then came out and left to visit Dumbledore. Harry came out a few minutes later and assured everyone that Hermione would come around. He then struck up a chat with the Grangers. He and Ron would be helping the Grangers take Hermione home. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny would go to the apothecary in Diagon Alley. Fred, George, and Ginny would floo ahead and dress up the house in get-well balloons, banners, etc.

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"Black, I hope no one suspicious saw your lot rampaging through the castle halls," Severus sneered.

"We're here to see Albus, Snape, now if you'd excuse us," Sirius tried his best to be polite. This was urgent and he was in _Snivellus_ territory a.k.a. Hogwarts.

"Certainly," the Potions professor replied stoically. "When is your appointment? Or do you have the _password_." His cold words rolled off his tongue like velvet.

"This is urgent, Snape. Miss Granger has had an accident," Remus added.

"Did she run into a dementor and wet her knickers?" He again sneered, but with significantly less hatred.

Tonks then said, "Actually, we might need you to hear all this. Would you please take us to the professor?"

Severus had apparently had enough goading at the expense of Miss Granger. When they got to the gargoyles, the Headmaster was waiting for them. "This way, shall we?" The Headmaster said. They all retreated up the winding staircase to his office.

Mr. Weasley had to tell the story yet again. This time he had Severus and Dumbledore to interrupt him occasionally. They did not need the doctor's inferences and started making their own. "I'll bring the necessary potions over and see to her care until she either wakes up or Madame Pomfrey gets back from the Fijis. Maybe I'll even scout around the girl's head a bit and find out what ails her mentally. My stocks are empty right now so expect me midday tomorrow."

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Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Granger busily rubbed balms and ointments onto 'Hermione' while she was asleep. The mothers had given her a bath earlier and fed her what they could, which was mostly chicken broth and a nutrients potion. Hermione was staying in the middle of the Grangers' king-sized bed in their master bedroom. No one else was allowed in the bedroom, besides Mr. Granger later that night. Hermione's parents flanked her on either side, as they had when she was a child who'd watched one-too-many scary movies. Hermione started to shift in bed at five in the morning. Her parents woke Molly and administered the last calming draught.

She started turning in her sleep again later that morning. Her brow was sweating and her mother would wipe it with a damp cloth every now and then. Thankfully, Severus had shown up before she started full-out thrashing. "Mrs. Granger, refrain from _touching_ your daughter until I administer the calming draught."

Mrs. Granger did not like his remark but left Hermione's side. "I hope you are not thinking that _we_ did this to her. I'll have you know, none of the doctors knew what was wrong with her."

Severus was not the type to apologize. "All the same, refrain from giving out signs of endearment and affection until she is able to receive them." Mrs. Granger seemed to read between the lines, and her animosity disappeared. "Here are the necessary potions and instructions for her current condition. I shall be back to take a look into the possible mental damage, if it is alright with you. I think she needs more time for her mind to stabilize. I'll be back tomorrow at three o' clock."

At the words "mental damage", Mrs. Granger was about to cry. A knock at the door, her loving husband, interrupted her train of thought. "Honey, I'll take over watching her. Why don't you go team up with Mrs. Weasley and make a brunch for the company, alright? Shuffle them out while you're at it. They need to leave sometime." She nodded and left. "Thank-you, Mr. Snape. You do not know how much this means to us."

Severus nodded. Then he said, "Albus, the Headmaster, will come with me tomorrow to check her mind for possible damage. Your wife said she was okay with it."

Mr. Granger shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. He looked away to the big window overlooking the driveway. "That sounds fine. Hermione respects and trusts her teachers. That makes placing our trust in you much easier. As for her appearance, do you find it strange? What do you think of it?"

Severus thought for a moment. "I don't want to waste time dabbling in meaningless hypothetical scenarios. My priority is waking her up. I can work with Albus and her to find that answer."

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Harry and Ron were able to convince Mrs. Granger to let them stay in the living room on the pullout couch. They left with Remus and Sirius for an hour or so to no. 4 Privet Drive to pack and take over Harry's school trunk. They also stopped by the Burrow and got the Wizarding chess set. They kept to themselves on the Grangers' first floor playing chess, but gave that up once Harry figured out how to use the VCR. They spent the rest of the day (and half the night) watching _Aliens 1-4_ and the _Terminator 1&2_, strangely enough Hermione and Mr. Granger's favorites, on the pullout bed. Harry and Ron spooned that night.

As he told them, Severus was over the next day at three o' clock, punctual as ever. Luckily, the boys had rolled out of their comforting embrace. 'If only I had come earlier, I could have blackmail material,' Severus thought. The boys must have felt the intense gaze. They started to stir.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry questioned the other visitor while rubbing his eyes. He accidentally kicked Ron, who promptly awoke. To Severus's chagrin, they followed the headmaster up to the master bedroom.

Hermione had been trapped in her subconscious for a nearly 48 hours. During that time, 'her' skin had healed up quite nicely. She had not had a calming draught since eight that morning. Severus gave her another as insurance because she was moving around a little. 'Definitely not a coma,' Severus thought, 'more like a prisoner in her own body.'

It was early August so Hermoine was dressed in one of her dad's T-shirts, the one with glow-in-the-dark constellations set up like a star charts. She was also clad in red knee-length basketball shorts. Harry and Ron sat on one side of the bed, the professors on the other. "Make sure to provide some use if I am to suffer from your presence," Snape made sure to add.

Harry and Ron really wanted to retort, but their attention was turned towards the pink-haired girl a.k.a. most-likely-Hermione. Her jaw had locked; eyes scrunched. She must have been remembering an unpleasant sensation. "Albus, it's now or never. Are you going to take the plunge?"

He placed a hand gently on her forehead in a soothing motion. "I think today would be a good day to do so. I will make sure she's stable enough to have you prodding around the levels of her mind. After that, I have urgent matters to attend to." Severus's brow furrowed at this. The old man never told him anything ahead of time. The "old man" began to work. He tried to synch up his thoughts to Hermione but they were a muddle. He decided it would be best to search for pictures. "I'm going in. Hold her down long enough for me to pull back out if it's too much for her." He gave Harry and Ron a pointed glance.

He pointed his wand at her eyes. They relaxed and drifted open. She stared at them; windows open but no lights on in the house. Albus was in there for a minute when he pulled out. "Her mind is not fragile per say, but do not prod in there. Spend your time drifting, Severus. I shall leave now. _Behave_." He directed the last word to no one in particular, but in most likelihood, all of them. He asked Harry to escort him out, to which Harry acquiesced.

"Excellent. I get to learn her deepest, darkest, girliest hopes and dreams. What a once in a lifetime opportunity," Severus replied sardonically. He sneered at Harry and Ron, hoping the idiots didn't take him seriously. Honestly, they'd probably never trust him. Not that he had a problem with that. So he re-administered the spell to relax the muscles around Hermione's eyes. "You know what to do, Potter, Weasley." He began his dive.

Instead of swimming around, Severus merely drifted from memory to memory. He imagined himself closing his eyes every now and then so as to allow the girl some privacy. He went through brief flashes of everything she had ever thought in the time span of 135 minutes when he finally arrived at what he did not know he was looking for. Instead of evaluating the extent of the mental damage she'd taken from an unknown source, he'd found her. Or what was a virtual aspect of her. This time it was Hermione's real body. She was in a deciduous forest. It was raining. She was lying on her back, her hair splayed out around her in the mud. The rain continued to pelt her face. There were scorch marks all over her body and her clothes were burnt here and there. She had a livid, purple bruise around her neck. It looked like a handprint and was most likely male.

Her virtual representation continued to lie there. He chanced moving closer. She could handle the pressure of his legimens. It had been 48 hours, correction, over 50 hours since she had her accident/attack/etc. He saw her finger move. It was time to wake her up. He bent one knee and kneeled on the other. He touched his hand to her shoulder and gently shook it. He shook her again. And again. And once more for good measure. Then the girl's upper half flew up and she gave a yell that was as good as 10 decibles loud. Her stunt would have scared a lesser man, her friends, for example, shitless. He saw the ground turn to water as her body fell back to how it was before awakening. She floated there, eyes wide. He caught sight of another body, the one that coated her physical being, reflecting in the water. A vision of red eyes slammed into his foremind and he was thrown out.

When he came to, he saw Hermione was sitting up in bed, looking at him and panting heavily. Apparently, he wasn't the only one who'd heard her episode. Harry and Ron were on one side of the bed, calming her, assuring her, and welcoming her back. She became tired once the adrenaline stopped. Harry propped up some pillows for her.

Without preamble, Severus conjured up a mirror. "Who do you think you are, girl?"

"Professor, of course, I'm Hermione," she said.

He tossed the mirror onto the bed. She picked it up and gasped. "This is your face as of now. So who do you think you are?"

"Of course, I'm still Hermione…," she answered after a few minutes of examination. "The face does not make the person. Identity is not skin-deep. Will this be fixed before school?"

"We are afraid not, Miss Granger. You'll have to think up an excuse," he said curtly. "What do you remember of your lamentable predicament?" Hermione froze. She must have been seeing what he had seen before being thrown out. It was the leading clue to the curious case of Hermione Granger.

She gripped the sheets, closed her eyes momentarily, and then opened them to stare at her knees under the cotton sheet. "Demon eyes," she said. Her audience's ears perked up. "…All I remembered were those blood red, demon eyes. I have not the faintest idea to whom they belonged, or even the face of this mysterious person. I remember falling, and waking as if it were all a dream."

Well that's the second chapter! It's too bad that I, yet again, missed the ten-page mark. Oh, I think I've done thirteen before (but I doubt it). I even introduced the summary/cliffhanger line! I hope rewriting this is for the best! Toodles.

P.S. Ten pages! Whoot!


	3. former storystuff

Genuine Kagebunhins/Shadows of One by Inner Self

Hey, I'm back with something new. I'll need reviews, 'kay? They help. A. LOT. MUCHOS.

IN WONDERLAND

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….And all I remembered were those red, demon eyes. The Sharingan. I have not the faintest idea to whom they belonged, or even the face of this mysterious person. I remembered falling, and waking as if it were all a dream.

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I was falling through the trees. The sun was shining down through them. It would have been pretty if I were not so frightened. There was shouting and raucous going on above me. I heard distinctly the clanging of metal. As I fell, the blood rushed to my head. I think I heard someone's call, a distressed cry that must have been designated towards me. Sakura. But I would not know. I hit the ground as it happened, my world turning black.

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I woke with a start. I was a bit jostled by my dream. It was one of those dreams where you feel like you're falling into your bed mattress and you don't stop--not until after a few seconds of being awake. I had that feeling, only, I was still at my desk, studying.

I lifted my head from its position on the desk. I stared at my hands which were still on the desk and wondered when I had found the time to paint them emerald green. Or where I'd found the nail polish for that matter. Maybe I had been studying for too long. I don't even remember what I was studying!

I sighed. You'd think all this studying would be good for me? Well, I decided it was time for a break; a nice, long, hot bath. Besides, my limbs felt terrible sore for some reason; probably from the position in which I fell asleep.

I dragged myself to the bathroom connected to my room and threw myself in the stand up shower. I turned the knob on a little below "hot" and placed my head on the tile below the showerhead. I didn't care that it was August.

After about fifteen minutes, or when the hot water turned cold, whichever came first, I stepped out onto the blue fuzzy mat and ran the towel through my hair quickly before wondering at how silky smooth it felt--And how pink it looked too!-- I realized, shocked, when I looked into my bathroom mirror ahead of me. I took the towel off my head, still watching, and wrapped it around my body, now screaming. I rushed up to the mirror and ran my hands through my silky smooth tresses, watching the green-eyed girl, me, in front of…me. I was once again speechless.

I heard my mother knock on my dormitory door and walk into my room. It felt like my hands were moving on their own as I focused my chakra into them and returned my appearance to good old Hermione right before my mother opened the door.

"I heard you scream, darling. Is anything the matter?" My mother asked, with a concerned look on her face.

Well, I didn't want to worry her for no reason. "Oh, it was nothing, mum. I just tripped… almost! I caught myself with the counter though." I smile to reinforce the fact that I feel just peachy.

When my mother leaves, I set my mentally exhausted state on the toilet seat. I put my head in my hands and waited for the moment when I'd accept the bizarre situation in which I was. I exit a couple of minutes later, intending to finish my reading.

Of course, when I reach my desk, nothing is making sense---yet again. The textbook is utter rubbish. Strange latin words are jumping out at me; words like _Tantelagra_ and _Petrificus totalis_. It's not the newest classifications of fascinating organisms though. I look at the title: Manual of Spellcraft, volume six! Wow, that's advanced in…what was I studying again? Ooh, I looked at paragraph eight in the section I was reading and spotted the word _Stupify_. I know what that means! I thought I was regaining my memories but when I looked at the description, the book mentioned the rendering of opponents unconscious. I decided that I'd better start with the basics.

Going over to my bookshelf by my bed, I looked through the selections for Manual of Spellcraft, volume one. I found it at the top, next to _Hogwarts: a History_, the description of everything and anything about the school I'd been attending for the past six years. I took my bathrobe, slippers, and the two books with me down the stairs. I started up the coffee machine in the kitchen and got to work. School would start in three weeks and I was way less prepared than per usual.

I read through _Hogwarts: a History _relatively easily. I remembered everything but the mechanics, if you will, of the enchantments on the ancient work of architecture. I memorized some of them, but realized that if I wanted any hope of surviving my school year, I would need to plow through my textbooks instead.

I fell asleep for a couple of hours after eight o' clock that morning. At noon I took a shower, reapplied my Henge (transformation) jutsu, and then ate something while finishing the Manual of Spellcraft, volume two. I took a two hour nap and then read the third volume of the Manual of Spellcraft "saga". By the next day, I was up to par with my peers in the DADA region of study and had started on charmswork. In another day, I was skimming through potions, fairly easy that one since I retained some knowledge. I had just finished reading the transfiguration and arithmancy texts and was about to reach for the suspicious looking _Magical Beasts and Where to Find Them_ when Harry's snow white owl came pecking at my kitchen window. I opened the window for Hedwig--I remembered her name was--and gave her a snack. She waited for me to read Harry's letter before taking her leave with my reply.

With only a few days left of summer, and in my frenzy of self-educating, having forgotten to write to my best mates, Harry had asked if I would like to spend the rest of the summer at the headquarters. Of course, I replied "Of course. Just let me tell my mum and dad. I'll be over by tomorrow morning if Mr. Weasley would be so kind as to fetch me."

Mr. Weasley then wrote to me, preparing me for an early arrival. He needed the cover of dawn to portkey to Grimmauld Place. He advised me to be ready a little before five.

That night, I had an almost normal slumber. My dream towards the end of my night turned into the one I experienced at my desk a few weeks past, as they had ever since. I would feel the falling sensation after looking upon the spinning pinwheels of red, demon eyes.

I awoke at four and twenty-six, a few minutes prior to the time I set on my alarm clock. I dressed in jeans and a pink jumper, and I said farewell to my parents. flooed out of my fireplace at four and fifty-five. That sent my parents into a momentary shock.

"I do apologize," Mr. Weasley said, "for the abrupt and early entrance and for the terrible mess from the fireplace. It's the safest way to go aside from portkey. It's a great honor to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, a great pleasure! Might I ask what that contraption---"

"Pardon, Mr. Weasley, but you say you flooed here? Grimmauld place doesn't have floo connection, Mr. Weasley. You must have come from your house?" I asked before he could start to get off-track and make us miss the portkey.

"Yes, I did. I stayed the night at my home instead of with the family at Grimmauld Place. It might have been suspicious to apparate to my house just to turn around and use the floo network…well, shall we?"

Mr. Weasley pulled out a bent spoon and I took the end of the handle with one hand while leaning down to pick up Crookshanks, holding him to my chest, and grab a hold of my trunk. My wand was already tucked into the back pocket of my jeans.

I waited anxious excitedly for a few seconds. When I felt the sensation of my navel being pulled by a fishhook, I cast a farewell smile back at my parents.

I ended up sprawled on the ground near the hedges across from Harry's apartment. Mr. Weasley and my cat landed on their feet, naturally. I checked my trunk to make sure that it had not opened when it hit the ground. It didn't. That surely was a plus. Mr. Weasley helped me up. He insisted that he carry my trunk for me. I obliged reluctantly and picked up Crookshanks. We knocked on a door only our eyes could see, and hurried into the headquarters, seated between 1312 and 1313 Grimmauld Place.

"'Mione!" I heard the call of my two best mates. They hugged me and welcomed me back. I heard murmured voices of adults in the hallway. They seemed to be in a hushed quarrel. The aura of the den was intense as I sat down. Mad-eye Moody was brooding in the corner opposite of the brooding, a little less than and more like calculating, Professor Snape. The other members who were gathered were trying to carry everyday conversations, but they could not hide from Hermione the fact that something was up.

Professor Snape left his spot and brushed passed us as we entered. He joined the squabble in the hallway that I now recognized as Professor McGonagall, Headmaster Dumbledore, and Remus Lupin. The tone of his voice carried but I could make not of what they were saying as the quartet took their discussion into the dining room. The dining room had a perpetual silencing charm on it, and anymore snooping was futile once the door softly snapped shut.

I had just sat down on the floor next to Harry and Ron's game of wizarding chess when Tonks came to me with a cup of coffee in her hand. That was when I realized that it was only five in the morning. Why were the adults having a morning meeting instead of the traditional noon-day updates?

"Wotcher, Hermione. Hey, Hermione, don't you think you and your friends ought to get some sleep? I know the morning bustle of members jostled your friends awake, but I am sure you could convince them to get a few hours more rest. Surely you are tired from your early awakening?"

Tonks sounded as friendly as usual, but there was also something serious in her tone. Ginny had probably awaken when Harry and Ron did. Being a little less stubborn, Mrs. Weasley could have 'coaxed' her into going back to bed. Harry and Ron took a little more 'coaxing' though. It's actually nearly impossible to persuade the two against doing something. "Actually, I'm totally awake after that portkey travel. I also went to bed early last night," only by half and hour, I kept silent, "but thank-you for your concern."

I smiled as she walked away and turned to the boys, who had surprisingly let me handle the situation by myself. They were snickering, but dead set on playing their match. I believe the members have already tried doing their worst to them. The two never budge.

"Dumbledore said we could attend the meeting," Harry explained.

Ron added, "Yeah, Mione, but everybody else is trying to keep us out. You were their last chance at getting us to march back upstairs. Though, I'm sorry to say that, friend or not, we wouldn't listen to you."

I made a face. I always know what's good for them. They would listen to me if they knew what was good for them. Then again, I really wanted to stay, too.

"Aw, come on, Mione," Harry said, "How often do the order members have morning meetings?"

"That's true," I said, "I already knew something was up before Tonks came over. How many members are here, by the way?"

Harry told me that all the Inner Circle members were present, whether they be in the kitchen, dining room, den, or W.C. Speaking of which, the former, I decided I was a bit hungry and went into the kitchen. I had just finished eating a grilled cheese sandwich when everyone was called into the dining room. I seated myself between my boys.

Headmaster Dumbledore made to stand. He always does that to seem more like a leader, aging as the man was. "All of you, except you three, know why we are gathered. The senior members of the Inner Circle, Mr. Moody, Mr. Lupin, Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, and I, have decided that we require extra security and Order members to prepare the school for the upcoming war with Voldemort." Professor Snape gave a subtle shudder, to which at least I noticed.

"With the DADA position open once again, I have taken it upon myself, with the consent of the senior members, to hire, "wizards" of a sort, from a distant "wizarding" world. They have agreed to a set payment in return for preparing the students," said Dumbledore. Finishing his introduction, he added, "Please do not be alarmed by their appearance. One of them has…very unique features."

Professor Dumbledore signaled to Professor Snape, who opened the door. In came a man with the most striking resemblance to a shark, blue skin and all. He had some kind of weapon strapped around his shoulder. He was clad in navy colors. He wore a headband with a slash drawn through it. I couldn't help thinking that all shark-face needed was a cloak and then his dangerous appearance would be complete. Still, that musing did not keep my hands from shaking in my lap. Also, it did not render me in my seat for the next man who walked into the room.

I all but jumped from my seat. It knocked onto the floor with a resounding clatter. Everyone's eyes jerked into my direction. Even the shorter, younger newcomer was looking at me, and I had the craziest sensation in the pit of my stomach. The long, ebony colored hair, the three-flower necklace, cold calculating look, worry lines, and those long, thick eyelashes; it was all too familiar. I could have sworn those eyes were the ones from my dream if not for those beautiful eyelashes, which were similar yet probably not what I recalled. Still, his face made me just as wary. Professor Snape sneered at me. The rest just looked upon me with a wave of concern. Not even Harry or Ron knew how to consolidate me.

I found my voice, and I clenched both my fists and my teeth, "Headmaster! How are you so sure that you can trust them?! There's something not right about them. I don't know what it is but…," I took a second to calm my nerves and strengthen my opinion, "I know that it's _your_ decision, Headmaster, but I honestly think you are making a grave mistake."

And as I awaited the Headmaster's answer, I gave him a determined, spirited look that I'd never used. I turned my look from the Headmaster to the beautiful, frightening, young man who smirked back at me. A look that was totally not my own.

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Hey, I might be editing the first chapter, either adding or snipping. So I need reviews, yeah (what author doesn't? We need to make sure we're doing this quite right)! I hope this new writing style that I'm trying out works well for me. So please comment. Cookies to the people who are reading this before it hits the 10k word mark.


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